Yale: Class of 2028 Acceptance Rate

Founded over 300 years ago, Yale University, is an Ivy League institution located in New Haven, CT and ranked #5 in Best Universities by the 2024 U.S. News and World Report. Along with its range of NCAA Division I sports, Yale offers 50+ performance groups and 60 cultural associations, not to mention its secret societies, such as the infamous Skull and Bones Society.

LOWEST EVER YALE ACCEPTANCE RATE

Yale University accepted 3.73% of the record-high 57,465 total students who applied to the Class of 2028. This represents a decrease from last year’s overall acceptance rate of 4.35%. 773 students — just 1.34% of applicants — were offered a spot on the waitlist according to the Yale Daily News.

Yale’s Class of 2028 early acceptance rate was the lowest since Yale adopted its current single-choice non-binding early action policy — 9.02%. Meanwhile, the regular decision acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 was 2.75%.

“The diverse range of strengths, ambitions, and lived experiences we saw in this year’s applicant pool was inspiring,” Dean of Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid Jeremiah Quinlan said in the press release. “We gauge the success of our outreach efforts by these qualities, and not by the total number of applications. But it is heartening to see that Yale College continues to attract exceptionally promising students from all backgrounds.”

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YALE ADMISSIONS UPDATES

Yale University was one of the first Ivy League institutions to announce a return to standardized testing requirements (though they are “test flexible”), following Dartmouth College, Brown University, H arvard University and Cornell University have also shifted their policies to require SAT or ACT scores, as have many other highly selective schools.

A Yale Daily News survey found that, under a test-optional policy, students on financial aid were more likely to apply without submitting test-scores.

On average, the middle 50% of first years at Yale scored 720-800 on the SAT Reading/Writing, 740-800 on the SAT Math and/or have a composite ACT score range between 33-35. Yale does use superscoring, which means that admissions officers will consider only the highest score for each component of all the SAT or ACT tests that a student has taken.

Successful applicants typically submit several strong AP tests. The school also recommends an interview with a Yale alumnus or a current student.

TTA Takeaway: Yale’s test-flexible policy notes that “applicants should consider the exams they have completed and self-report the results that best complement the other academic information in their application.” This means that, for students with many strong AP scores, there is less pressure on scoring a high SAT/ACT. This also means thinking carefully about your ACT, AP, IB, and/or SAT scores in context so you can put your best foot forward and gauge which score(s) to report. Aiming for Yale? Be sure to secure your tutoring hours this summer for a personalized strategy.

At Top Tier Admissions, we are committed to making the college admissions process more transparent. Easy access to clear data helps families understand trends in college admissions to make more informed decisions. We’re collecting acceptance rate data at selective schools and providing insight and analysis of our own. For historical data, see our collection of Ivy League and Top College Acceptance Rates and Admissions Statistics, including the Class of 2028 Ivy League admissions data and admissions stats for a range of additional selective schools.

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Siena Swift

Creative Content Coordinator at Top Tier Admissions

Siena is a Pomona College graduate and award-winning student journalist with a passion for impactful communication and global education. After guiding prospective students as a tour guide at Pomona and spearheading sustainability initiatives across the Claremont Colleges, Siena honed her skills in social media strategy and event programming as an admissions office intern. Since graduating, she has worked with Top Tier Admissions, where she now serves as the Creative Content Coordinator. In this role, Siena manages social media strategies, creates engaging content, and supports webinars. Her work combines her love for communication, education, and creativity, all while contributing to the growth and engagement of the Top Tier Admissions community.